Won't you help us to help the birds?

Donate

The Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust is entirely self-funded except for donations from generous and caring members of the public.

We always welcome donations, whether it is giving your money, time, spreading the word about what we do, or donating some materials.
To volunteer, please see our Volunteer box on this page.

Cash donations help us pay for veterinary bills, food and medications, supplies of all types, upkeep of our hospital, aviaries, and grounds, and many other aspects of our work. Any amount you can give is a tremendous help!

Here's what your cash donation can be used for:

• Food ranging from grain for ducks to tinned fish for seabirds to meal worms for Plover chicks and mixed vegetables for the multitude of Kereru that we see
• Veterinary costs
• Medications and bandages and syringes
• Electricity
• Cleaning and sterilising products; soap powder
• Vehicle running costs
• Repairs and maintenance for everything ranging from weighing scales to aviaries
• Wages for our full-time staff member

Any amount you can give is a tremendous help!
To donate, please see our Give a Little page.

Volunteer

We always have plenty to do here at the WBRT, and we warmly welcome your help. Volunteering with us is often fun!

Personal benefits

• Meeting new people and social interaction
• Getting a sense of purpose and a focus to your week
• Making a positive contribution to the region's environment
• Strengthening your CV
• Providing a pathway into a training course or work

Lots to do
Volunteers help us in many ways and there is a wide variety of work to choose from:

• Our biggest job - cleaning!
  The bird cages and aviaries have to be cleaned out every day
• Picking up supplies
  ​For example we get through lots of food and bedding that need to be picked up!
• Caring for sick or injured birds
  Under the direction of our experienced staff and other volunteers
• Taking birds to and from the vet
  Where we need birds to get special treatment such as radiographs or surgery
• Finding new homes for birds that are awaiting release back to the wild
• Releasing birds
• Responding to phone; Facebook and email enquiries
• and so much more...

Quote from a volunteer:
"Releasing the kingfisher was lovely...a good reward for cleaning all the poo!"

If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out this application!

Spread the Word

Often, people do not know who to contact when they encounter injured or orphaned birds.

You can help us to help birds by letting your friends and family know that we are here in the Wellington area, helping native and non-native birds.

If we cannot provide assistance for birds in need we are happy to share information about where to find help.

Liking or following us on social media also helps spread the word!

Business donations

Here are some of our generous business supporters:

Bidfood who supply us with food that is not saleable (due to packaging damage or expiry date issues) that would otherwise end up in the landfill, and that we can feed to our birds.

Bidfresh who support us with fruit and vegetables not suitable for sale that would otherwise end up in the land fill, and that we can feed to our birds.

Sofitel Hotel Wellington​ who keep us stocked with newspapers for bedding.

Nada Bakeries who support us with buns for our plant sales sausage sizzles.

Friends of Animals Charities who have been one of our biggest financial supporters.

Volunteer Wellington​ who provide us with many amazing volunteers for roles ranging from bird care, to help with our plant nursery that raises money for our birds, to videographers who do training videos.

Intern NZ & Intern OZ who have provided us with numerous awesome overseas interns over the years.

Please contact us here if your business wishes to donate.

Be a "Bird Taxi"

If you are in the Wellington area, please consider helping us out with bird transportation!

We often need birds picked up from where they have been found and brought to us, or transported from our facility to or from the vet for treatment.

No special bird handling skills are required for transportation.

To find out more about becoming a "bird taxi," please join our WBRT Rescue and Volunteer Help facebook group.

Adopt

Although most of our work at WBRT centers on raising and rehabilitating wild ducks for release back into the wild, we take in all kinds of birds including domestic species.

We usually have, or know of, many birds in search of forever homes; for example, swans, Muscovy Ducks and Pilgrim Geese.

If you have room on your property to make a home for some feathered friends, please check out our Facebook page, or contact us via our Contact Form.


* Please note that all potential adopters must be approved by WBRT, as we must ensure that the birds are going to safe homes with adequate room to thrive.